Meet Yourself Where You Are

Yoga blocks are one of the simplest ways to make a pose work with your body rather than forcing your body to fit the pose. They can bring the floor closer when your hands can’t comfortably reach it, create stability when balance feels uncertain, or give you something solid to press into so you can focus on the movement instead of straining to hold yourself there.

I chose these Yoga Dood blocks because they are made from cork, which feels firm and stable without the slight compression of softer foam. They come as a pair and measure approximately 9 × 6 × 3 inches. You can also turn them to different sides depending on how much height or support you need.

Support to Gradually Build Flexibilty

Flexibility develops gradually, and there is no benefit in forcing yourself farther into a pose simply because you think your hand is supposed to touch the floor.

In the current DearKali lessons, the place I would most often reach for a block is the Seated Side Stretch in Finding Stillness. If the floor feels too far away, placing a block beside your hip gives your lower hand somewhere stable to rest. That can help you stay lifted through the torso rather than collapsing toward the floor as you stretch through the opposite side.

As your flexibility changes, you can turn the block to a lower height or eventually practice without it. The goal isn’t to use the block to push deeper. It is to give yourself enough support to sink into the pose, and allow your body to gradually open over time.

Why Cork

I like cork because it feels particularly steady. It doesn’t compress under your weight, the textured surface gives your hands something secure, and the extra firmness can feel reassuring when you are using a block for balance or support. Cork is harder than foam, so when I want something solid enough to trust my weight to, that firmness is reassuring.

A block doesn’t take anything away from the pose. It simply gives you somewhere solid to begin.